Dining Spotlight: Cheese, Please

It’s all queso, all the time at Kesos Taco House

By Kimya Kavehkar

Published: May 2, 2014

Photo by Jon Shapley

As Texans, we can all agree that good queso makes everything tastier. Kesos Taco House, located on way-South Congress, totally gets that spirit, and that’s why every taco, from the loaded Longhorn breakfast taco with eggs, potato and sirloin to the lunchtime Keep It Weird carnitas taco, comes smothered in a signature queso, or “Kesos,” sauce that you’ll want to drink by the bowl. “Very few restaurants in Austin use a white melting cheese like we do—probably because it’s very expensive—but that’s what makes it special,” says general manager Sara Lopez. The unassuming joint, which opened in February, has seven specialty tacos that are named after Austin events or landmarks. They each attempt to capture the essence of our city’s unique attractions as best a taco can: The Deep Eddie taco mimics a refreshing dive in the historic pool with fried shrimp, coleslaw, pico de gallo and cilantro queso on a flour tortilla, while the ROT Rallie taco has all the bulk and stature of the motorcyclists who roll into town each summer with fajita sirloin, grilled onions and peppers, roasted potatoes and queso. If you just can’t decide, get the Sixth Street plate, which features six miniature versions of the specialty tacos. It’s like taking the grand tour of the capital city—but with more queso (and fewer history lectures).